HvW1888d

1888 Memoirs of an Arabian Princess, genuine first English edition by Emily Ruete

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Memoirs of an Arabian princess Emily Ruete

Memoirs of an Arabian Princess by Emily Ruete / Bibi Salme.  Probably the second issue of the first English edition in 1888. The name of the author, nor the translator is mentioned in the book.

 

 Memoirs of an Arabian princess 1888

    Memoirs of an Arabian Princess, first English edition published by Ward & Downey 1888 

Description: Extremely rare. Some minor spotting otherwise fine. Extremely rare first English edition. It is probably the second issue of  the first edition in 1888. This issue is not present in any of the libraries around the world.

The contents is completely identical to the other issue, only the binding is different.

The pictorial illustration on the cover is a romantic version of the German cover: however the architecture of the buildings bear no resemblance to the Omani palaces in Zanzibar.

Also includes some corrections that Emily Ruete made after the first German edition in 1886 (see van Domsel) This issue with a blue / turquoise cover. Just like the first German edition in 1886 every issue of the first English edition has a cover in a different colour!  The book has been republished many times well into recent times.       

     References
  1. An Arabian Princess between two worlds by E. van Donzel published by Brill  Leiden 1993
  2. Jos Damen, Boekenwereld tijdschrift voor boek en prent, van Tilt 25e jaargang nr 3 (Maart 2009) page 231 "waarom een prinses uit Zanzibar trouwde met een Duitse koopman En Hoe haar bibliotheek in Leiden terechtkwam" Discussed the Said Ruete library in Leiden university.

  3. The book was translated into English in 1888 and published by Ward and Downey in London. There is another 1888 (cheap) American edition published by Appleton (probably a pirate copy) in 1907 the first illustrated edition was published.            

  4. 2015 Only the " Outward Appearance"  of a harem? Reading the memoirs of an Arabian princess as Material text by Kate Roy 13/1/2015 in Distinctions That Matter / Fictions Economiques  Belphegor literature populaire et culture  Comment: Interesting but not sure if all the conclusions make sense. Again no full analysis of the different  German and English first edition issues (with different covers)